She heard the faint sound of the television from the other room, but there was no other indication of Sophie’s presence. Lisa knew Sophie wouldn’t leave her alone forever. It was only a matter of time before the nightmare came to its hideous conclusion. She listened to the steady beating of her heart, marveling at its leisurely rhythm, and wondered if she was imagining it. A bleak thought entered her mind: maybe she was cold because her body had already died.
She sat up, wrapping her arms around her torso and feeling the warmth of her flesh. Pain flowed through her stiff muscles, and she felt the sensation of pins and needles pricking her skin. Still, whether or not she was actually alive was purely a matter of definition. Like a fleeting memory, she sensed the presence of her former self cowering in the untouchable depths of her mind behind a wall of horror, but she couldn’t reach it. It was almost as if it had never existed at all.
When she heard Graham and Sophie’s footsteps outside the door, she didn’t bother to move. She knew she couldn’t save herself anyway. They barged in, Graham flushed with triumph and Sophie scowling with contempt. Lisa heard them arguing about what to do with her.
“You’re too sentimental, Graham,” said Sophie. “There’s only one way to make sure the boss never finds out about this. Let’s kill her and be done with it. She’s going to talk eventually if we don’t.”
“No, she knows how to keep a secret,” said Graham. “She suspected I was camping out at the fort near her house months ago, but she didn’t say a word. She’s harmless. That’s why I decided to go ahead with this crazy scheme when the opportunity presented itself. Come on, give me some credit. I knew she wouldn’t put up a fight. I’m not afraid of her, and you shouldn’t be either.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid of her,” said Sophie. “I just want to guarantee this doesn’t come back to bite us. What if she tells the cops?”
“She won’t,” said Graham with a hint of irritation. He pulled Lisa to her feet. With an effort, she focused on his face. “It’s time for you to go home. I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough time, but it had to be done. I hope you know it wasn’t your fault. I’ve never had anything against you personally. If you keep it to yourself, you’ll never have to see us again, but if you don’t—”
“We’ll bring you back here and reunite you with your dead friend,” said Sophie, leering at her. “Think you’ve had it bad this time around? Just wait until we get our hands on you again.”
“You should listen to her,” said Graham. “She’s telling you this for your own good. Just go about your business and pretend this was all a dream. It’s what Molly would have wanted for you. The best way for you to honor her is to live your life. It’s what you deserve. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
Lisa nodded. She didn’t doubt Sophie was telling the truth.
“Good,” said Graham. “Then we’re all on the same page. I knew you’d understand. Isn’t it nice when everyone agrees? Now, let’s get you back to your family. Your father will be delighted to see you. We’d better hurry. It’ll be morning soon.”
Lisa realized she wasn’t going to die. To her surprise, she was devastated. She didn’t want to leave Molly behind, and the idea of returning to the chaotic world with its endless expectations was excruciating. As Graham and Sophie took her out to the car, the bitter truth became abundantly clear: the numbness that had settled over her wasn’t able to protect her from pain.
They drove away from the trailer. Lisa leaned her head against the seat and stared through the window into the darkness. She had never been so tired before. The road was deserted. It wasn’t long before they reached the bridge. Graham slowed down as the car approached the summit and pulled into the emergency lane. Beyond a low concrete barrier, Lisa saw a pedestrian walkway with a narrow railing made from metal bars that overlooked the river eighty feet below.
“This is a stupid place to leave her,” said Sophie. “Someone’s going to notice her up here. It’s not dark enough anymore. Are you trying to get us caught? I bet there are cameras everywhere. If we’re going to take such a risk, why don’t we just throw her off? It’ll look like an accident.”
“No, I don’t want to do that,” said Graham. “It’s too late to change it now. I already told Richard where to find her. He’ll be here soon.” He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door. Taking Lisa by the arm, he helped her out.
“You’ll be okay,” he said. “You’re a survivor. Remember that. If you tell anyone what happened to you, we’ll have to eliminate you and them. You don’t want to have that on your conscience. Oh, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention: you should probably stay away from your boyfriend and his family. My boss doesn’t like them, and I’d hate to see you get caught in the crossfire.”
He left her slumped against the railing and drove away without another word. Lisa gazed through the metal bars at the river roaring beneath her. She began to imagine herself tumbling down into the dark water. What was the point of continuing? She couldn’t be the girl she had been before.
She stood up, ignoring the weakness in her legs. It would be simpler if she took matters into her own hands. She wanted
